Highway director



Patented Nev. 26, 1935 lmi'reu'r 4oi-i-lcls HIGHWAY DIRECTOR' Floyd N. Dull, Rutherford, N. J.

Application July 2, 1935, Serial No. 29,457

7 Claims.

The invention relates to highway directors and has for its object to provide a device designed primarily for use in connection with vehicles and more particularly automotive vehicles for enabling the driver or operator of the vehicle to accurately determine routes of travel in a simple and emcient manner. Other more specific objects will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will' be pointed out in the claims.

In-the accompanying drawing, which illustrates an example of the invention without defining its limits, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of .the novel highway director in an operative position; Fig. 2

' casing I0 and an inner casing II both preferably of cylindrical form and each having an open end and a closed end, said casings being telescopically combined in reversed relation and said inner casing II being Y rotatably adjustable within the outer casing Ill. The arrangement is such that, in the operative assembled condition of the director, the inner open end of the inner casing II is located in contiguous relation to the closed end 0f the outer casing III, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

The outer end of the inner casing I I is closed for *instance by means of a, closurev I2 and is provided at said outer end with an annular ange I3' which, as shown, may constitute a part ofthe closure I2 and in any case is adapted to bear4 against the outer casing I0 at the outer end thereof as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5. 'I'he annular flange I3 preferably is dimensioned and arranged to constitute the medium whereby the inner casing II is rotatably adjusted inthe outer casing Il., andV accordingly may be provided with a knurled or equivalent peripheral surface to facilitate such adjustment; it will be understood that other means may replace the annular flange I3 for manipulating the inner casing II. Suitable means may be provided for removably maintaining said casings I0 and II-against unintentional axial separation without interfering with the rotatable adjustment ofthe casing I I in the casing I0; in the illustrated examples the inner casing II is accordingly provided with one or more elastic catches I4 secured to the 4flange I 3 and, arranged to snap over and-behind (c1. fio-86) @n annular bead I5 with which the outer casing I0, in such case, may be provided as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. p

In addition -the highway director may be provided with means for fixing it in an operative po- 5 .sition, the character of saidv means depending upon the operative position which the director is to occupy in the vehicle or its equivalent; in the examples shown in the drawing, the aforesaid means is in the formy of a clamping device I io arranged for detachable connection with the outer casing I and adapted to be clamped-for instance upon the steering post Il of an automobile to fix the director in an operativ/Ie position thereon within easy reach and view .of the 15 driver.

In the illustrated examples of the highway clirector the outer casing I@ is provided with an opening I8 in its circumferential wall, said opening extending in the direction of the axis of said 20 casing IB and preferably being closed by a sheet I9 of glass or other suitable material secured in place in a suitable frame 20, as shown in Figs. l, 2,. 3 and 4. To facilitate the rotatable adjustment of the inner 'casing I I within the outer cas- 25 ing III said inner casing I I may be provided with one or more'annular ribs 2i adapted to engage the inner surface of the outer casing I0 to constitute annular bearings for said inner casing ii. The latter is further provided in its circumferential wall with a slot 22 extending in the direction of the axis of said casing ii and preferably terminating` in an open end at the open end of said casing I I, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The inner casing II in addition includes a clamping device 35' of suitableconstruction which in the form illustrated in Fig. 3 comprises an elastic clamping member 23 having its one end permanently fixed at 24 of the inner casing and projecting in an axial direction toward the open end of said inner 40 casing II preferably in registry vwith the afore said slot 22, as shown in Fig. 3; it will be understood. that the type-and arrangement of the clamping device? may be different from the member 23 and that said clamping device may be 45 otherwise lconstructed and arranged to meet the requirements of any'special conditions.

In the form of the highway director shown in- Flgs. 3, 4 and 5, the inner casing` II is provided interiorly with a pair of adjacent chambers 25 50 and 26 separated by a partition 21 which extends upto and preferably into the slot 22 to divide said slot lengthwise, as shown in Fig. 4. In the illustrated example the chambers 25 and 26 respectively contain reels 28 and 2 9 which are 55 I ISO- rotatably iitted in said chambers 25 and 26 in any convenient manner and one or both of which may be provided with means located at the closed end of the inner casing II and accessible exteriorly thereof for rotatively actuating either one or both of said reels 28 and 29 for the purpose to be more fully set forth hereinafter. As shown in Fig. 5 the means in question may comprise a rod 30 rotatably and slidably mounted in the closure I2 and provided exte'riorly of the latter with an operating knob 3|. or its equivalent, to facilitate the manipulation of said rod 30; at its inner end the rod 30 is provided with a suitable coupling device illustrated in the form of a fiat member 32 adapted to removably extend into a recess 33 with which the reel 29 is provide'd. If the highway director is designed to enable both of the reels 28 and 29 to be manually controlled, for instance to permit the web 34a to be shifted in opposite directions, a duplicate rod 30 with its associated elements will in such case be provided forv the reel 28.

In the novel highway director the highway directions are produced upon a iiexible member arranged to extend circumferentially of the inner casing II upon the outer surface thereof and in movable relation thereto. In the form shown in Fig. 2, the exiblemember consists oa card 34 of suitable dimensions to completely surround the inner casing II and having its opposite endsl suitably xed in place so as to be readily detachable, for instance, by projecting below the flexible clamping member 23, as illustrated in Fig. 2. In this form of the highway director a plurality of such'individual cards 34 will be provided, each card inA such case containing highway directions representing a travel period corresponding to a predetermined time period, such as for instance a days run. In the form shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the flexible member consists of a web of material 34a carried by the reel 28 and extending therefrom through the slot 22 at one side of the partition 2'I and extending circumferentially of the inner casing II on the outer surface thereof and through the slot 22 at the other side of said partition 2'I to the reel 29, as illustrated in Fig. 4. On its outer surface the web of material 34a contains the highway directions, said web 34 if desired, being divided into sections in each of which highway directions representing a travel period corresponding to a predetermined time period are contained. In the preferred arrangement the highway directions provided on the individual cards 34 or on the web 34a are arranged in three columns as shown in Fig. 3, the left hand column a consisting of figures representing mileage, the central column b including driving'directions, that is names of cities, towns, and places, and points of interest, as well as names and otherv infomation pertaining to hotel,

r camps and other stopping places and the like, and

the right hand column c including figures or other designations corresponding to the symbols designating the routes over which it is desired to travel.

In utilizing the highway director shown in Fig; 2, the inner casing II is withdrawn from the outer casing land an appropriate card 34 is mounted upon the outer surface thereof, the particular card 34 in question including the highway directions for a particular travel period which may, for instance, correspond to a predetermined days run. When the card 34 has been fixed in place upon the inner casing II, the latter is re-inserted into the outer casing I0 and rotatably secured therein by means of the elastic catches I4 or equivalent means. When thus combined the inner casing II is rotatably adjusted in the outer casing I0 by means of the annular flange I3 to bring the starting point of 5 the particular card 34 into registry the opening I8 of the outer casing III. As the automobile or equivalent vehicle proceeds on its way the inner casing I0 is rotatably adjusted by hand at periodic intervals to progressively expose the 10 highway directions upon said card through the opening I8 of the outer casing I8 and to thereby provide the driver of the vehicle at all times with directions as to the proper road or equivalent path of travel which is to be traversed. When 15 the particular run corresponding to the road directions contained on the card 34 which is in place in the highway director has been completed, the card 34 may be removed and replaced by a second card 34 which contains highway di- 20.

rections corresponding to the next stage of travel in the particular trip or tour or their equivalent, in which the vehicle is engaged. When not in use, the cards 34 may be contained within the inner casing II which accordingly provides a 25 convenient storage place for a set of cards 34 containing road directions suflicient for an entire trip or its equivalent.

In utilizing the form of the highway director shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, after the web 34EL has 30y inner casing I I is rotatably adjusted in the outer 40 casing I8 by means of the annular flange I3 at periodic intervals to progressively expose the road directions on said web section through the opening I8 and to thereby supply the operator of the vehicle with suitable driving directions at 45:

all times. When the particular run, which may correspond for instance .to a days travel, has been completed, the operating knob 3| of the reel 29 is rotatably actuated to correspondingly rotate the reel 29 to thereby Windv the web 50 34 upon said reel 29 and at the same time to unwind the web from the reel 28. This operation is continued until a' successive section of said web 34aL containing highway directions for the next succeeding stage of the particular trip 55.

or tour is circumferentially located upon the outer surface of the inner casing II. In some cases the reels 28 and 29 may be omitted from the chambers 25 and 26 and the web 34a simply rolled upon itself in said chambers; with such 80- arrangement the web 34 will simplybe uncoiled in one chamber and progressively coiled in the other chamber'when successive sections of the web 34* are adjusted to an operative position on the inner casing I I. In either instance the highway director is again in condition to supply the' operator of the vehicle with proper driving directions by rotatably adjusting the inner casing II in the outerI casing III at periodic intervals asA previously described as soon as the 70..,

web 34* has been readiusted on the inner casing I I. When it is desired to replace the reels 28 and 29 with other reels, it is simply neces sary to withdraw the rod or rods 30 in an axial direction to disconnect the member 32 from the 75* recess-` 33 and to permit the removal of the reels 2l and 29 or one -oi them, from the respective chambers 25 and, or from one, of said `chambers; it will be understood that the inner casing Il has previously been withdrawn from the outer casing, I to readily permit this substitution of reels. In some instances the same reels may be continuously used, in which case successive webs 34a are`sirnpiy rolled upon one oi! the reels and.utilized in the manner-previously described. When not in use individual reels containing websla rolled thereon, or individual webs 34a in a rolled condition may be stored within the inner casing il.

From this it will be obvious that the road di rector in all of its forms may be eiliciently used for either long or short tripsv or tours, or for any number of different trips or tours, as the case may be. In every instance the flexible memaol ber, whether in the form of an individual card 34 or a web 34a, in the operation ofthe highway director is located between the inner casing `I I and the outer casing- Ill so that the outer surface of the individual card or of the web is located in close proximity to the inner surface 'of the outer casing l0 from which it follows that the road directions contained on said cards or web .will be readily visible'through the opening I8 of the outer casing I0. To facilitate the reading' of this information through said opening |.8 the glass I9 which closes the same may be Ain the form of a magnifying lens or its-equivalent.

The highway director in all of its forms is extremely simple in construction and iseasily manipulated by the driverl or by another occupant of the vehicle, and` at the same time makes it possible toreplace the individual cards in operative position for use, or to adjustthe web in a manner to provide successive highway information suicient to enable the operator of the vehicle to correctly guide the latter over the proper roads or their equivalent and to reach the intended destination with a minimum of effort and without requiring any particularv skili in thev operations. The highway director is inconspicuous and may easily be located in operative position in thevehicle wherever desired, and so as tending opening in its circumferential wall, a

cylindrical .inner casing rotatably fitted 'in said outer casing provided with a slot in its circumferential wall and having its inner end open in contiguous relation to'the closed end of said outer casing, the outer end of said inner casing -being closed,`an annular flange on said inner casing at its closed outer end bearing lagainst theouter casing at its open end whereby said inner casing is rotatably adjustable in said outer casing,means removably maintaining said inner lcasing in said outer casing, apair'of adjacent chambers in said inner casing having a partition extending into said slot of the inner'casing to divide said slot lengthwise. reels in said chambers, a web of. material, extending from one reel through said slot at one side of said par-l tition and extendingcircumferentially of lsaid 3 inner' easing and' through said not at the other side of said partition to the other reel, said web having highway directions on its outer surface adapted to be progressively exposed throughA the opening of said outer casing as said inner casing is rotatively adjusted therein, means located at the closed end of said inner casing andaccessible exteriorly thereof for selectively actuating said reels to 4position successive sections of said web circumferentially of said inner casing, and 10 means for nxing said highwaydirector in an operative position.

2. A highway director consisting of acylindrical' outer casing closed at'one end and open at the other end and provided with an axially extending opening in its circumferential wall, a 4 cylindrical inner casing rotatably iltted in said outer casing provided with a slot in its circumferential wall and having its inner end open in contiguous relation to the closed end of said 2'0" outer casing, the outer end of said inner casing being closed, an annular flange on said inner cas-'- ing at its closed outer end bearing against the outer casing at its open end whereby said inner casing is rotatably' adjustable in said outer cas- 25 ing, means removably maintainingsaid inner casing in said outer casing, a'pair of adjacent chambers in said inner casing having a partition 'extending into said slot of thel inner casing to divide said slot lengthwise,i a web oi material 30 coiled in'one of'said chaniblers and extending therefrom through said slot at one side of said partition and extending circumferentially of said inner casing through said slot at the other side of said partition into the other chamber, said web having highway directions on its outer surface adapted to be progressively exposed through the opening of said outer casing as said inner casing is rotatively adjusted therein, and being itself adjustable on said inner casing to position 40 successive sections of said web circumferentialiy thereof, and means for fixing said highway diouter casing provided with a slot in its circumferential wall and having its inner end open in 50- contiguous relation to the closed end of said outer-casing, the outer end of said inner casing being closed, an annular ange on said inner casing atits closed outer end bearing against the outer casing at its open end whereby said inner casing is rotatably adjustable in said outer casing, means removably maintaining said inner casing in said outer casing, a y card removably mounted on said inner casing in circumferential relationthereto and having highway directions on its outer surface adapted to be progressively exposed through the opening of said outer casing as said inner casing is rotatively adjusted therein, and means for fixing said highway director in an operative position."

4. A highway director. consisting of outer'and inner casings each having an open end and a closed en'd, said casingsbeing telescopically combined in reversed relation and said inner casing being .rotatively adjustable within said' outer 70 casing, the latter being provided with an axially extending' opening in its circumferential wall, means for removably .maintaining said casings against axial separation, and a` flexible 'member extending circumferentially of said inner casing in movable relation thereto and having highway directions on its outer surface adapted to be .selectively exposed through the opening of said outer casing as said inner casing is rotatively adjusted therein.

5. A highway director consisting of outer and inner casings eachl having an open end and a closed end, said casings being telescopically combined in reversed relation and said inner casing being rotatively adjustable within said outer casing, the latter being provided with an axially extending opening in its circumferential wall, means for removably 'maintaining said casings against axial separation, and a web of material extending circumferentially of said inner casing and having highway directions produced on its outer surface adapted to be selectively exposed through the opening of said outer casing, said web being adjustable circumferentially of said inner casing to position successive sections vof said web thereon for exposure through said opening of the outer casing.

6. A highway director consisting of outer and inner casings each having an open end and a closed end, said rcasings being telescopically combined in reversed relation and said inner cas'- ing being rotatively adjustable within said outer casing, the latter being provided with anv axially extending opening in its circumferential wall, means for removably maintaining said casings against axial separation, and a web of material extending circumferentially 'of said inner casing and having highway directions produced on its outer surface in sections each representing a travel period corresponding to a predetermined time period, said web being adjustable circum- 5 ferentially of said inner casing to position successive sections of said web thereon and being rotatably adjustable with said inner casing in said outer casing to selectively expose said highway directions through the opening of the outer casing.

7. A highway director consisting of outer and` inner casings each having an open end and a closed end, said casings being telescopically combined in reversed relation and said inner casing being rotatively adjustable within said outer casing, the latter being provided with an axially extending opening in its circumferential wall, means for removably maintaining said casings against axial separation, and cards each containing. highway directions representing a travel period corresponding to a predetermined time period, said cards being individually mounted upon said inner casing in detachable circumferential relation thereto and being movable with said inner casing as the latteris rotatably adjusted in said outer casing to selectively expose said highway directions through the opening of FLOYD N. DULL 

